Railway-roundhouses and track lay-outs therefor



G. E. LEMMERICH.

RAILWAY ROUNDHOUSES AND TRACK LAY OUTS THEREFOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR.25, 1919..

1 ,325,021 Patented Dec. 16, 1919,

@ 5 Gmsfarc Clem/mar z GUSTAVE E. LEMMERICH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RAILWAY-ROUNDI-IOUSES AND TRACK LAY-OUTS THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

Application filed March 25, 1919. Serial No. 285,046.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUSTAVE E. LEMMER- ICH, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county ofOuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Railway -Round-v houses and Track- Lay-Outs Therefor, of which thefollowing is a specification, the principle of the invention beingherein eX- plainecl and the best mode in which I have contemplatedapplying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

An arrangement frequently observed in the construction of engineterminals, including roundhouse facilities, has'been to locate theroundhouse syrmnetrical with respect to the main line of approach to theterminal, with a turn table at the center of the are upon which suchroundhouse is laid out. The machine shop, with other essentialaccessories, is then placed to the rear of such roundhouse, usuallymidway between its respective ends or on a continuation of the main axisof the roundhouse corresponding with the line of approach to the latter.Various objectionable features are involved in the prevailing type oflayout and roundhouse just described, among which may be mentionedlimitation of capacity; in other words, the roundhouse accommodationscannot be enlarged to advantage; the location of the machine shop isinconvenient as it does not permit of the bringing of locomotivestherein for the purpose of repair to any large extent; and the handlingof parts between the machine shop and roundhouse is inconvenient androundabout.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoingobjections and is characterized, generally speaking by the provision oftwo turn tables symmetrically located with respect to the line ofapproach, and twin roundhouses arranged to be served by said turn tablesrespectively, the machine shop being located between such round housesand in alinement therewith.

These general features involved in my pointed out in the claims,the'annexed drawing and the following descriptionsettingforth in detailcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said. annexed drawing Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic plan ofmy improved layout for an engine terminal, with twin roundhousefacilities; and Fig. 2 is a transverse'section, likewise diagrammatic incharacter, of one such roundhouse, the plane of the section beingindicated by the line 22, Fig. 1.

The track layout in my improved terminal comprises a plurality ofparallel tracks on the line of approach, eight such tracks being showninthe illustrative layout I of Fig. 1; Of these tracks the right-handtrack l'constitutes what may be called a through track, passing, bymeans presently to be described, through and beyond the one roundhouse 2and the machine shop 3 that lies between and connects such roundhouse 2with the companion or twin roundhouse 4. The remaining seven trackscomprise a cen tral or main track 5 designed to carry trafli c in bothdirections. such track branching as it passes between the turn tables 6and 7 that serve the roundhouses 2 and 4 respectively. The branches 5 oftrack 5, shown as five in number, terminate in the machine-shop 3. Ofthe'three tracks which lie immediately adjacent track 5 on each sidethereof, the first two, viz. tracks 8 and '9. and tracks 10 and 11, aredesigned primarily for inbound traffic, as. indicated by the arrowheads, while the outer tracks 12 and 13 are designed primarily foroutbound traflic. Cinders will ordinarily be dropped from the enginewhile on one or the other of the inbound tracks 8, 9, 10 and 11,ash-pits 14 and 15 being provided to receive such cinders. ,Inconjunction with the central track 5 there are provided cranerails 16upon which a suitable crane,(not shown) travels, adapted to collect theashes from su h pits and transfer them-to a car on said track 5.

Switches 17 serve; to interconnect the tracks 8 to13 in-lusive so thatan engine may be readily transferred from one track to the other withoutthe use of the turn tables 6 and 7. Of the latter the first-. named. 6.is adapted to connect'any one of tracks 8, 9 and 12 with any one of aseries of radiating tracks 18 in roundhouse 2, while the other turntable 7 is similarly adapted to connect any one of tracks 10, 11 and 13:with radiating tracks-19- in roundhouse- 4. The maximum number of suchradiating tracks in either roundhouse is dependent upon the diameter oftheturn table serving the same, and in any event there will be room forextra tracks 20 served by said turn tables at various points between themain tracks and the radiating tracks 18 and 19. The roundhouses,moreover, need not extend for the full one hundred and eighty degrees,but may stop short, as shown in full lines, their maximum extent beingindicated by dotted outline. hen the roundhouses are made of maximumcapacity, the completed structurehas a general oval effect, beinginterrupted on one of the longer sides of the oval where the main tracksenter the terminal. I

"The cross-sectional design of the roundhouse may varyto suit the sizeand type of locomotive which it is designed .to accommodate. However, asshown in Fig. 2, such cross-section preferably includes. provision for atraveling craneQl, the rails 22 for which, asshown'in dotted outline inFig- 1, are concentric with the side walls of thecorresponding:roundhouse. {Such rails terminate at the respective endsofthe machine shop so as'to permit of the ready transfer of partscarried by; cranestraveling on'such rails to the heavier crane '(notshown-l which travels'on rails 23 extending longitudinally of said shop.iThe latter crane may be designed to be sufliciently heavy to 'liftiup alocomotive if desired.

*By reason of, the provision of such heavy crane; service in; themachinev shop, it is not necessary to provide,drop pits in theroundhouses proper except for emergency use, for which 'purposepit's, asindicated at 23. and 24, may be provided in connection with two tracks18 and 19 respectively.

A layout of the type described above is I capable ofhandling from one,hundred and fifty to three hundred engines per day. The arrangement ofthe twin turn tables. makes a very flexible and efficient layoutpossible; while by utilizing the extension of the centertrack 5*andso-called clearing track is H created in case both tables should be outof commission at the same time. Where the full capacity o'f'the twoturntables andcorresponding roundhouses is not immediately required, onesuch .turn table and roundhouse may be installed-with the machine shoplocated in proper relation thereto so that the second turn tableandcorresponding roundhouse may be" later added when the increasedfacilities thus afforded are required; Not only is a maximum amount ofspace secured for the area occupied by the terminal buildings, but thelayoutof tracks and-the manner in which they are interconnectedprovides. for the reception ofan engine; its transfer to the desiredstall, and return to desired outgoing track, without confusion ortrouble.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention 1. The combination of two roundhouses facing each other in.symmetrical relation to the line of approach; turntablesservingsaidroundhouses, respectively; and a machine shop located between andconnecting juxtaposed endsof said roundhouses.

2. The combination of two. roundhouses facing each other in symmetricalrelation to the line of approach; turntables serving said roundhouses,respectively; a machine shop located between and connecting, juxtaposedends of said roundhouses; and interconnected tracks on suchline ofapproach leading to said turntables, respectively.

3. The combination of two roundhouses facingeach other in symmetricalrelationto the line of approach; turn-tables serving saidroundhouses,respectively; a machine shop. located between and connectingjuxtaposed ends of said roundhouses; tracks on such line of approachleading to said turntables, respectively; and another track passingbetween said turntables to, said shop, all of said tracks beinginterconnected.

4. The combination of two roundhouses facing each other in symmetricalrelation to the line of approach; turn-tables serving said roundhouses,respectively; a machine shop located between and connecting juxtaposedends of said roundhouses; interconnected tracks on such line of approachleading to, said turntables, respectively; and another track passingover one of said turntables through the corresponding roundhouse. andbeyond. a

5. The combination of two roundhouses facing each other in symmetricalrelationto the line of approach; turntables serving said roundhouses,respectively; a machine shop located between and connectingjuxtaposedends. of said roundhouses; tracks on such lineof approach leading tosaid turntables, respectively; anothertrack passing between saidturntables and having branches entering said shop, all the foregoingtracks being interconnected; and yet another track passing over one ofsaid turntablesthrough the corresponding roundhouse and beyond.

6. The combinationof two roundhouses approximately semi circular in.extent and facing each otherin symmetrical relation to the line ofapproach; turntables serving said roundhouses, respectively; a machineshop located between and connecting two of the juxtaposed ends of saidroundhouses; a central track on such line of approach passing betweensaid turntables and having branches entering said shop; and a pluralityof tracks on each side of and interconnected with said central trackleading to said turntables, respectively.

7. The combination of two roundhouses approximately semi-circular inextent and facing each other in symmetrical relation to the line ofapproach; turntables serving said roundhouses, respectively; a machineshop located between and connecting two of r the juxtaposed ends of saidroundhouses; a

central track on such line of approach passing between said turntablesand having branches entering said shop; a plurality of tracks on eachside of and interconnected with said central track leading to saidturntables, respectively; and another track on one side of the foregoingtracks passing over one of said turntables through the correspondingroundhouse and beyond.

8. The combination of a roundhouse approximately semi-circular in extentlying to one side of the line of approach; a turntable serving suchroundhouse; and a machine shop connected with one end of said roundhouseand closing such line of approach. v

Signed by me, this 24th day of March, 1919.

GUSTAVE E. LEMIMERICH.

